This week’s SATURDAY SIX covers Six Reasons We Love Epcot’s 2014 Flower and Garden Festival. While there are a lot of annual events in Orlando that are near and dear to us for varying reasons (the wild party atmosphere of Mardi Gras, the scares of Halloween Horror Nights, the incredible parade and fireworks of Mickey’s Not So […]

This week’s SATURDAY SIX covers Six Reasons We Love Epcot’s 2014 Flower and Garden Festival. While there are a lot of annual events in Orlando that are near and dear to us for varying reasons (the wild party atmosphere of Mardi Gras, the scares of Halloween Horror Nights, the incredible parade and fireworks of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the food and, uh, wine of Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival), one event stands out from all the rest because it stresses the fact that we should - literally - stop and smell the roses.

That’s right, Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is back, and this year just may be the best yet. What really makes Flower & Garden special is how amazing it is just to walk around Epcot and take it all in. Most events in theme parks are limited in the size and scope of their overall effect on the individual park, but you can see the beauty and tranquility of Flower & Garden everywhere you go.

This week’s Saturday Six is going to look at six of our favorite parts of this year’s festival, and we’re going to start with one of our favorite subjects: food.

# 6 – The Outdoor Kitchens

Beijing-Style Candied Strawberries, Lotus House ($4.25)

Frushi, Hanami ($4.50)

The Outdoor Kitchens made their debut at last year’s Flower & Garden and bring a little bit of the Food & Wine dynamic to the festival. What they don’t bring with them are the outrageously long lines from Food & Wine, allowing you to sample various food and drinks from throughout World Showcase with very little wait. The Outdoor Kitchens are also very vegetarian and vegan friendly, something that can’t be said about Epcot’s fall classic.

Frushi made its return at Hanami (Outdoor Kitchen located in Japan) and is one of those items (like Twisted Taters at Universal) that needs to be featured year round. It’s unique, delicious, and can be used as a sort of gateway drug to get picky eaters (or kids) to try new foods. There are still many items that involve meat including the Pulled Pork Slider and Smoked Turkey “Rib” at the Smokehouse, and even the Piggylicious cupcake, which includes bacon within the cupcake batter itself.

Tequila Flight, Mexico ($12.50)

With the current state of Epcot being as it is, you’re probably going to want to have an adult beverage while you walk around and Outdoor Kitchens have you covered. While not technically a drink, the Don’t-Call-It-A-Dole-WhipPineapple Soft-serve with rum is almost a rite of passage. Afterwards you’ll wonder two things: 1) why aren’t they serving Dole Whips with booze in the Magic Kingdom? and 2) could they possibly make these cups any smaller?

Highlights include the Kung-Fu Punch at the Lotus House and the Kronenbourg Blanc at Fleur de Lys (which I also got at the Be Our Guest restaurant), but as person who generally finds myself just getting Miller Lite on draft when I go out to the sports bars, I found myself more than satisfied with the Magic Hat #9 and Fat Tire craft beers found at the Smokehouse. Be prepared; while there are some tremendous values in the food items, you are more than likely to encounter some “sticker shock” at the price of some of the drinks, especially when you see the size of the cups.

# 5 – The Garden Passport

The Garden Passport not only tells you everything you need to know about what’s going at the Flower & Garden Festival, but it has a checklist of every single food and beverage item, and you can get it stamped like a regular passport at various places throughout Epcot. Pick one up at Guest Services, the Festival Center,or any of the Outdoor Kitchens. It’s like Wilderness Explorers at Animal Kingdom for adults.

# 4 – Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House

Walking through Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House is the best relaxation technique there is. Topiaries, glass sculptures, flowers, and thousands of butterflies. Just the thing you need to bring down your blood pressure after realizing your only FastPass+ options are for the Character Spot, Captain EO, and the Seas with Nemo and Friends.

# 3 – All the Additions Throughout Epcot

A miniature Mater topiary added Germany’s village display

Epcot is neck and neck with the Magic Kingdom as the best park to just walk around in, and Flower & Garden makes it even better. Everywhere you go there are little touches that make the park different from how it is on any other day of the year. One of our only complaints about the hard ticket events at Magic Kingdom is that pretty much only Main Street, U.S.A., is elaborately decorated, but you will find evidence of Flower & Garden throughout the entirety of Epcot. This is the Disney Difference.

# 2 – The Concerts

The Artists Formerly Known as ELO

The Flower Power Concert Series may not have artists who are currently on the Billboard charts, but you are going to recognize the music being played. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the America Gardens Theatre you’ll find a classic music act rocking out.

# 1 – The Topiaries

Cogsworth and Lumiere

One of the most well known aspects of the Flower & Garden Festival is the display of amazing topiaries throughout the park, and this year it has been taken to the next level as many of these amazing creations have been given life-like faces to make them really stand out.

Louis (from Princess and the Frog)

From returning favorites like Mickey Mouse, Lightning McQueen, and Goofy to new additions for the Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, there are almost 100 topiaries across the park that will have you wondering how-did-they-do-that?! The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs topiaries have become almost jaw-droopingly good with the added detail.

Lightning McQueen

So there you have it: Six Reasons We Love Epcot’s 2014 Flower & Garden Festival, but this article barley scratches the surface of everything that the festival brings to the table. At the festival center there is so much to see and do, including seminars with celebrities from HGTV. There is one Outdoor Kitchen (“Urban Eats”) that focuses on sustainably farmed foods and another – “Florida Fresh” – that brings a little bit of local flavor to Epcot. Anything that brings more Florida to the parks is a good thing. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the SaturdaySix, where we will look at Universal’s new Cabana Bay Beach Resort.If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles or, for your listening pleasure, check out Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast.

Special thanks to Disney Blogger Extraordinaire Morgan Crutchfield and Brandon Glover for their assistance with this article. In fact, Morgan put together an amazing “MagMini” dedicated to Flower & Garden which you can check out by clicking this link.

Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival is an 11-week event that transforms the park into a showcase of spring. With nearly 100 custom-grown topiaries, 11 outdoor kitchens with original snacks and beverages, gardening and design workshops and presentations, and specialty gardens, the festival is a vacation in itself. Flower & Garden is ongoing during normal […]

Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival is an 11-week event that transforms the park into a showcase of spring. With nearly 100 custom-grown topiaries, 11 outdoor kitchens with original snacks and beverages, gardening and design workshops and presentations, and specialty gardens, the festival is a vacation in itself. Flower & Garden is ongoing during normal park hours from March 5 through May 18 this year and, excepting some specialty offerings, is included with the price of admission to the park. The Festival Center, where you’ll find all the information you need to enjoy the event, is located between Ellen’s Energy Adventure and Mission: SPACE and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Be sure to stop into the Festival Center for continuous shows of “The Making of The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival” in the HGTV Theater, gardening pointers, and your copy of the Festival Guide as well as your Festival Passport.

Epcot is in bloom as Flower & Garden opens this week.

There are some general tips for Flower & Garden that will help you plan your trip no matter what you plan to see and do there. First, stock up on Disney gift cards. They can be used at all of the kiosks and shops and are really convenient if you’re trying to stay on a budget or don’t want to carry cash. Disney gift cards can be purchased at a discount at retailers like Target (using your REDcard and stacking pharmacy discounts you can get up to 10% off!), Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesalers. Second, go on a weekday if it’s possible. Local traffic increases significantly on weekends and can make seeing all you want to see a bit difficult. Third, take sunscreen and don’t forget to hydrate. Sunscreen and water may seem like intuitive things to put on a list of recommendations, but the Florida sun can be particularly potent and so can the drinks at the outdoor kitchens. You want to fully enjoy the festival and sunburns and hangovers are not the way to do it.

Hydrate before trying this tequila flight in the Mexico Pavilion

Last, use the Touring Plans resources and the official website to make a plan for seeing all the festivities. While the festival may seem like an adults-only venture at first glance, don’t count it out if you have kids. Epcot’s teams have made sure there’s plenty of fun with Cars and pixie-themed gardens, a Monsters University playground, and special kids’ activities throughout the park that keep the event in line with the park’s family focus, and the outdoor kitchen offerings have some fun treats like Japan’s Frushi (fruit sushi) that are great tries for those testing out their taste buds.

“Frushi”, or fruit sushi, at the Japan outdoor kitchen. Frushi is a soy dessert wrap, coconut rice and fruit with fresh whipped cream and raspberry sauce.

WHEN TO GO

Flower & Garden has two schedules that you may want to keep in mind while you’re planning. The first is the schedule of Home and Garden Television (HGTV) Celebrity Presentations. The second set of scheduled events is the Flower Power Concert Series. Concerts are held Friday through Sunday at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. at the America Gardens Theatre. For more information on presentations and performers, check out Rikki’s post.

WHERE TO STAY

Any resort hotel on Walt Disney World property (or good neighbor hotel) is a great pick, but the BoardWalk Inn, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan, and Dolphin are all within walking distance of Epcot.

WHAT’S NEW OR NOTABLE THIS YEAR?

Computer generation brings the topiaries’ face features to life in a newly detailed way and the front entrance garden is where this new style will really shine. Also new to the entrance garden this year are a water fountain and lily pond.

Eleven “Outdoor Kitchen” food kiosks in World Showcase feature garden and farm-fresh foods for the second year. This year’s new kitchen, “Urban Eats,” offers sustainably farmed food, much of which is grown in Epcot’s own Land pavilion. The Urban Eats menu includes Eggplant Scallop with Romesco Sauce, Ghost Pepper-Dusted Tilapia, Winter Melon Salad, Mango Chutney, Vegan Red and White Wines, and gluten-free beer. For a full listing of all the Outdoor Kitchen menus, check out the official page here.

“Hummingbirds at Home”, a new exhibit presented by the National Audubon Society, allows guests to walk through live hummingbird gardens and get tips on how to attract these magnificent birds to their own yards.

Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House is once again home to thousands of butterflies fluttering around glass sculptures (below) and gardens made just for attracting the winged creatures.

Mike and Sulley’s Monstrous Garden features a Monsters University themed playground specially built for the festival’s kid guests.

Try Frushi (pictured above) is one of the best snacks on property any time of year. It’s fruit sushi – a soy wrap around fresh fruit and coconut rice. You’ll find it at “Hanami,” the Japan Pavilion’s Outdoor Kitchen. While you’re there, be sure to try the Kung Fu Punch as well. It’s the punch that punches back.

Get a passport at the Festival Center. Each Outdoor Kitchen and specialty garden has a themed stamp to add to your pages and the final product is a fun souvenir. It also helps you keep track of favorite sights and snacks.

Two stamped pages of last year’s Flower & Garden Passport

Taste the Dole Whip with Rum at Pineapple Promenade. Flower & Garden is the only time it’s served, and it’s a Disney Bucket List check-off.

Walk through the butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Rarely do you find nature so lovely and so close-up, and both are a peaceful break from the park when it’s bustling.

Walk slowly. The topiaries and gardens are incredible and there’s nothing like strolling around to see them all on a gorgeous day at Epcot. Or, if you can’t make it down, I’ll leave you with some photos that I hope will make up for it. Until next time, keep it magical. ~M

The Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto topiary in the courtyard in front of the tip board.

One of three Fantasia-themed sets at the entrance to World Showcase

The Muppets topiary, featuring Kermit and Miss Piggy, is new to Flower & Garden this year.

The topiaries are gorgeous, but be sure to take time to note the extra plantings around the park like these near the Imagination pavilion as well.

The Aurora and Phillip topiary dances under a gorgeous blooming tree near the France pavilion

This year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is in full swing, and the park has never looked more gorgeous. What better way could there be to explore all the amazing displays and learn what it takes to put on this signature event than with a tour? Thankfully, the Gardens of the World Tour lets guests […]

This year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is in full swing, and the park has never looked more gorgeous. What better way could there be to explore all the amazing displays and learn what it takes to put on this signature event than with a tour? Thankfully, the Gardens of the World Tour lets guests do just that!

Offered only during the Festival, Gardens of the World offers guests a unique opportunity to explore Epcot along with members of Disney’s Horticulture group. As the team responsible for bringing Epcot into bloom, the Horticulture tour guides are the perfect folks to share the ins and outs of maintaining the park’s landscaping during the Festival and throughout the year.

Periwinkle Fairy, from the upcoming The Secret of the Wings, debuts as a topiary at the 2012 Flower and Garden Festival.

While I attended last year’s Flower & Garden Festival, this was my first time taking the two tours offered. The previously reviewed English Tea Garden Tour was a fun, free way to enjoy the Festival’s offerings. However, that quick tour is no match for the amount of information and access provided on Gardens of the World.

To start, tour guests met outside Epcot at Guest Relations at 9am. If you take this or any other tour, make sure you are early. For the first time in almost 20 tours, I was late. Somehow after arriving one minute late, it took over 15 minutes to finally catch up with the group. If you are ever late for a tour, immediately go to Guest Relations. Provided your tour allows late arrivals (some don’t), Guest Relations will find a Cast Member to escort you to meet up with the group.

By the time we found my group, they had already received name tags, pins, discussed the main entrance Fantasia topiaries, and made their way behind Spaceship Earth. Things were moving fast. I was handed a name tag and a headset. Almost all the paid tours use headsets to allow guests to hear despite their proximity to the guide and the volume of the crowds in the park. My tour had 21 guests, so I was very glad I could still keep up with what was being said despite trailing the group.

Guests can interact with butterflies and view cocoons in Bambi's Butterfly House.

At the point I joined, the group was learning about how the giant peacock topiary behind Spaceship Earth had to be lowered earlier that week because it didn’t flow with the surrounding flower beds, which are supposed to represent the bird’s tail feathers. This was one of the examples of how Disney is constantly evaluating and updating displays throughout the Festival. Another example was the sand sculpture highlighting the new Chimpanzee nature film, which will be completely rebuilt several times throughout the festival as the sand is eroded.

From there we made our way through Future World East into the For The Birds and Pixie Hollow gardens. Much of our tour was spent learning about the details in to the special displays throughout the park. Even though I had visited Epcot during Flower & Garden before, I never realized just how many displays there are. I counted at least seven on the tour, not including the country-specific landscaping throughout World Showcase. This tour did a fantastic job of encouraging us to really explore all the beauty the Festival has to offer.

Next, we learned about the creation of the flower berms and floating baskets in the waterway leading up to World Showcase. We also visited Bambi’s Butterfly Garden, my favorite Flower & Garden Festival staple. Then we walked by the rose gardens and the sand sculpture before making our way into World Showcase.

While there was plenty to see in Future World, World Showcase took up the bulk of this 3 hour tour. Starting from Mexico, we visited each and every pavilion. We even got to enter the Showcase before it opened to regular guests. I’m a big proponent of taking early tours that allow for a private park experience. I spent as much time taking photos of empty pavilions as I did learning about horticulture.

Prince Philip and Princess Aurora waltz outside the France Pavilion.

One thing I didn’t realize until this tour, is that many of the flowers and displays for the festival are donated from outside parties, as well as other departments within Disney. Mexico’s orchids are provided by Animal Kingdom, which features orchids in its Oasis area. Many of the Mexico orchids are kept in pots and will go back to Animal Kingdom at the end of the Festival. The orchids that have been sewn into the palm trees will stay and may bloom a few more times before being removed.

Similarly, the Japan pavilion features a gorgeous display of bonsai trees. Each has been donated by a private owner to Disney. Our guide indicated that due to the delicate nature of bonsais, making sure these were returned in great condition is one of the most stressful tasks for the horticulture team.

Our group also learned about the process of creating topiaries for the festival versus building permanent topiaries elsewhere on property. If you have visited Topiary Production on the Backstage Magic tour, this part of the tour will be very redundant. I spent this part of the tour searching for the even the smallest sliver of shade. Fortunately, the headset let me stand far off without missing out on what the guides were saying.

Commemorative Gardens of the World Tour Pin

Which reminds me: WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! I wore SPF 75 and still ended up with a terrible sunburn from this tour. Three hours of standing in direct sun is no joke. I spent much of the tour standing at a distance to be in the shade and even walked off at one point to get water. As a native Floridian, this was my first time getting a serious sunburn at Disney. If I were taking this tour again, I’d carry an umbrella to block the sun. Bringing a water bottle would be a wise idea as well. If it’s this bad in March, May is going to be brutal.

In the France Pavilion, we learned about how Disney constructs the hanging plant baskets. One of our guides works on the indoor plants at Magic Kingdom, including the hanging baskets in Crystal Palace. It never occurred to me how much work goes into choosing and maintaining the arrangements. Did you know that each of Epcot’s hanging baskets weighs up to 60 pounds? The larger the arrangement, the less likely it will dry out between daily waterings.

2012 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Poster

We wrapped up in Canada. After learning about the irrigation system used for the trees on Canada’s “mountain”, we got to go backstage to view the pavilion from the other side. While this backstage portion of the tour was very short, it was fantastic to see how the mountain is constructed with deep planters and a pipe-system for the water. Here we each received a copy of the 2012 Flower & Garden Festival poster in a large tube. These posters cost $19.95 at the Festival Center, so it was really a nice surprise for tour guests.

Aside from being preoccupied with potential dehydration and sun-poisoning, I learned a lot from this tour. Most of the guests were avid gardeners, many taking notes on the specific plants used throughout Epcot. We each received a card with contact information for the Horticulture group should we have any follow up questions. Both of our guides were excellent and clearly passionate about their jobs.

If you are even the slightest bit inclined to learn more about gardening techniques and the process for pulling off the Flower & Garden Festival, I definitely recommend this tour for you. Bring some water, wear sunscreen and walking shoes, carry an umbrella, and you’ll have a good time.

If listening to questions about mulching techniques isn’t up your alley, you might want to reconsider. I’m not a gardener, and (sun aside) I had a reasonably good time. However, if I were facing time or budget constraints, I would skip the tour and just enjoy the beauty of the festival on my own. If you want to experience more Epcot but aren’t into plants, the UnDISCOVERed Future World tour is a good alternative. If you want to focus on Flower & Garden but want less of a commitment, try the English Garden Tea Tour. Just be sure to go late in the day to avoid heat exhaustion!

The Gardens of the World tour is currently offered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 9am through May 20, 2012. It costs $60 and requires separate park admission. Guests must be at least 16 years old to take the tour. A 15% discount is offered for AAA Members, Annual Passholders, and DVC Members. Disney VISA Cardholders are eligible for a 20% discount when booking with their Disney VISA. To book, call (407) WDW-TOUR (407-939-8687).

Have you tried the Gardens of the World tour? Do you plan on trying it out on your next trip? Let us know what you think!

It’s almost time to stop and smell the roses at Walt Disney World. The Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is taking root at the park from March 7 to May 20, 2012. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this will be the best Festival ever. BIG Plants My most vivid […]

It’s almost time to stop and smell the roses at Walt Disney World. The Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is taking root at the park from March 7 to May 20, 2012. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this will be the best Festival ever.

BIG Plants

My most vivid childhood memory of Disney is seeing a giant topiary hippo and wondering, “How do they DO that?” I still find these larger-than-life living sculptures endlessly fascinating. More than 100 topiaries are scheduled to be on display this year, including plants representing characters from Toy Story (strawberry-scented Lotso!) and Cars.

HGTV Presenters

HGTV is again sponsoring the festival, lending many of its TV personalities to the proceedings. Here’s who you’ll be able to see:

The new performers this year are Three Dog Night and ELO. Personally, I’m always most excited to see Davy Jones because it takes me back to the days when I wished I was Marcia Brady. Sigh.

Shows are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. in the America Gardens Theatre.

Bushels of Gardening Information

In addition to the HGTV presenters, there will be gardening experts making scheduled appearances each day at the Greenhouse Stage in Festival Headquarters in Future World. Many of these presenters will be representatives from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida. Along with planned lectures and demonstrations, experts will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day to chat and take individual guest questions. This is a great opportunity to get your children interested in gardening; they will have a chance to have an adult expert take time with them.

The standard gardening talks will be supplemented by weekends dedicated to special topics:

Art in the Garden Weekend: See nature through the eyes of “plein air” artists and behold one-of-a-kind works of art. At World Showcase from March 23 through 25, 2012.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Specialists: Meet the experts and learn about incredible indigenous insects that are part of our world. At the Festival Center from April 13 through 15, 2012.

Florida Federation of Garden Clubs: See amazing arrangements that defy description. At the Festival Center from April 27 through 29, 2012.

Fresh from Florida Weekend: Discover the bounty of Florida—from Apalachicola to Zellwood! At the Festival Center from May 4 through 6, 2012.

Special, Fun, and Everything Else Under the Sun

Among the other offerings at Epcot during the Festival are:

Bambi’s Butterfly House, presented by HGTV: Experience hundreds of native butterflies and see some of your favorite characters from Bambi, presented in topiary. Located at Imagination Walkway.

Sustainable Beauty, presented by HGTV: This unique garden showcases sustainable gardening ideas that you can try at home.

English Tea Garden, presented by Twinings of London Tea: Discover the art and history of tea blending during a 20-minute tour of this elegant English Tea Garden, featuring classic tea blends and new herbal teas for 2012. Tours are held Monday through Thursday at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., and Friday through Sunday at 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Register for your guided tour at The Tea Caddy. Located at the United Kingdom Pavilion.

Bonsai Collection—located at the Japan Pavilion.

Festival Blooms, Presented by Syngenta—located at Future World East and West Lake.

Let’s Get Moving: Unique play structures for ages 2 through 5. Located at Imagination Walkway.

Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden: Explore the garden world of Pixie Hollow and find some of your favorite fairy characters presented in topiary. Play structures are designed for ages 2 to 5. Located at Test Track Walkway.

Sounds of Nature, Presented by Nature Conservancy: Relax as you listen to the soothing sounds of nature. Located next to Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden at Test Track Walkway.

The Dirt

Access to the Flower & Garden exhibits and activities is included with your regular Epcot park admission ticket. There is a supplemental Epcot Gardens of the World Tour available in which a Disney horticulturist hosts a 3-hour, guided tour designed especially for garden enthusiasts. The Gardens of the World Tour is available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Register at Guest Relations or call (407) WDW-TOUR. Cost is $60.00, including tax, and theme park admission is required. The tour is available to Guests ages 16 and up only.

So folks, are you blooming with excitement about the Festival? Did you visit the Festival last year? Do you think Disney rose to the occasion? Do you like the offerings this year, or do you think they’re yucca? Do you carrot all? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks to Tom Bricker for many of the brilliant photos of last year’s festivities.

The Golden Knights Army Parachute Team will perform a jump at Epcot on May 29th, 2006. The jump will occur between 12:00 noon and 12:30pm. During the jump, audio from one of the parachute jumpers will be broadcast throughout the park. The team will land in Epcot then meet with guests in World Showcase Plaza. […]

The Golden Knights Army Parachute Team will perform a jump at Epcot on May 29th, 2006. The jump will occur between 12:00 noon and 12:30pm. During the jump, audio from one of the parachute jumpers will be broadcast throughout the park. The team will land in Epcot then meet with guests in World Showcase Plaza. The following is a publicity photo from the Golden Knights.

A early morning test jump will occur between 7 and 7:30 am. If you’re staying at an Epcot resort or just in the area, you might want to check it out.